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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28450275">Beneath the Hat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahoidraco/pseuds/ahoidraco'>ahoidraco</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>tails, ears, and other accidents [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>A little bit of plot as an excuse for porn, Although this doesn't really matter throughout the story, Auror Draco Malfoy, Auror Hermione Granger, Cat Ears, Cat/Human Hybrids, Christmas Smut, Co-workers, F/M, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, It's Christmas - they have the day off, Magical Accidents, Mutual Pining, Part-Cat Hermione Granger, Porn with Feelings, cat Hermione</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:27:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28450275</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahoidraco/pseuds/ahoidraco</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><i>“I may have messed up my charm for the Christmas-themed fancy dress,” she whispered, not quite believing it herself as she said it. Hermione Granger never messed up a charm.</i> </p><p>Hermione is flushed, jittery, and late to the DMLE Christmas dinner.<br/>She is also suspiciously obsessed with the cheap Muggle Santa Hat on her head.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>tails, ears, and other accidents [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2264048</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>184</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Draimone Fics</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Beneath the Hat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/weestarmeggie/gifts">weestarmeggie</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A belated happy Christmas to weestarmeggie as part of a Christmas/New Year's Dramione exchange - have some Cat Hermione and thank you for being such a joy in my life!<br/>This fic is unbetaed, all mistakes are my own.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hermione Granger, usually notoriously punctual, arrived late to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement’s 2006 Christmas party.</p><p>She tried scurrying unobtrusively to the seat Harry had reserved for her, a small flush on her cheeks. Harry, of course, ever the star Senior Auror, was seated next to Robards himself, so all efforts on Hermione’s side to go unnoticed were void.</p><p>“Ah, Miss Granger!” Robards boomed the moment she sat down, his broad chest providing a perfect sounding body as always. She had wondered more than once in her days at the Auror’s Office how this man had ever managed any undercover work. Everybody looked up towards Hermione at Robards’s exclamation, and her face grew even hotter.</p><p>“Good evening, Mr. Robards, Harry,” she murmured, sheepishly fiddling with her Santa Hat.</p><p>“Cute hat. A bit Muggle if you asked me.” Hermione shot the grinning Harry an evil look. He proudly sported enchanted deer antlers himself, non-melting snow sparkling on them.</p><p>“Yes, I, ah … didn’t have time to execute my other plan, so this will have to do for tonight.”</p><p>“Always so busy, Hermione,” Harry replied with a mock sigh. Hermione just nodded distractedly and fumbled with her hat again. Sitting down was much more uncomfortable than she had anticipated, so she slid around on her chair to find a comfy position.</p><p>“Relax, Granger. Most of us only got here five minutes ago. Starters haven’t even arrived yet.”</p><p>Hermione looked up to the drawl with a sigh. Of course, the newly appointed Junior Auror Malfoy was seated directly across from her in all his glory, impeccable mannerisms, and tailored grey robes. Hermione wondered briefly how he had managed to include a Christmas theme into his outfit as their invitation had called for – until she saw delicate ornaments stitched into the dark green fabric. She suppressed an eye roll. Count on Malfoy to have a custom-made garment for the department Christmas festivity.</p><p>He shot her a smirk as he sipped on his firewhisky, eyeing the hat on her mass of curls with curious amusement. “What is this, anyway?”</p><p>“Muggle tradition,” Hermione replied curtly, still sliding in her chair. It was going to be a long evening. If her Santa Hat continued to be such an attraction, it was only a matter of time until someone would playfully take it from her, only to … Hermione shuddered. Best not to think about it and add an additional sticking charm to the hat after dinner. For now, she could only hope neither Harry to her right or Neville to her left would engage in any Santa Hat antics.</p><p>“Neville was just telling Malfoy and me about Pansy’s plans for the New Year’s party, Hermione.”</p><p>Neville nodded his confirmation. “She also reminded me multiple times to remind you about your RSVP.”</p><p>“Yes, ah…” Hermione looked from Harry to Neville, only to look back to Malfoy. He still smirked at her, but when her eyes found his, they were colder than before. Even brighter, too, if such a thing was possible. Absentmindedly, she crossed and uncrossed her legs under the table.</p><p>“I meant to get back to her, I’m really sorry.” She turned towards Neville once again, trying to ignore Malfoy’s scrutinising stare. “I’ll do it as soon as I get home tonight.”</p><p>Her good-natured friend patted her shoulder lightly. “Not to worry, Hermione. She just wants you to be there. Really likes you, you know? Of course, you could just tell me if you were coming now” – Hermione’s heart rate increased considerably at the thought, and her eyes instantly darted back to Malfoy, who, it seemed, hadn’t moved at all – “but Pansy’s a little old-school like that, insists on written confirmation. You alright there?”</p><p>Relief had flooded Hermione, but when she sagged in her chair, she winced slightly. “All good, Neville, thank you. I’ll make sure to reply later, I promise.”</p><p>He smiled at her just as their first course arrived. The salmon entrees looked delicious and Hermione was starving, having been in the office until late, then hurrying home to get ready and botching her Christmas spell in the process … a bit of fish was just what she needed now.</p><p>A content warmth spread in her chest, and a purring sound emerged from deep within her, just barely escaping her lips.</p><p>Hermione startled. Had she just made that noise?</p><p>Panic rising, she glanced at Harry, then at Neville to see if they had noticed, but the two boys were too busy with their meals. Relieved, Hermione looked up, only to see Malfoy returning her gaze, his eyebrows raised.</p><p>
  <em>Bugger. </em>
</p><p>She was unable to look down again, transfixed by Malfoy’s eyes. They were a little warmer than before and showed that particular shade of amicable amusement that he so often sent her way, making Hermione silently, and often, wish she were the only recipient.</p><p>He kept shooting her amused glances as he started eating his own dish. Hermione huffed and resolved to simply not look up until the end of the meal. Maybe she would even manage to avoid him for the rest of the evening. She was not going to stay late anyway, considering her current situation and the stress of the past week in general.</p><p>*</p><p>Luck wasn’t on her side.</p><p>After dessert, Hermione rushed to the loo, reinforcing the sticking charm on her hat and making sure her dark navy dress still sat tight in the right places (around her waist and arms) and extra loose in others (around her hips).</p><p>Just as she made her way from the bar with a butterbeer in hand, he appeared next to her.</p><p>“Does this mean I’ll finally get my answer tonight, Granger?”</p><p>Malfoy appeared as nonchalant as ever, towering next to her and sipping on yet another firewhisky. But again, his eyes betrayed him to her schooled scrutiny. He was tense.</p><p>Hermione sighed. She was running out of excuses. Nervously, she fumbled with her hat again and could feel small flutters underneath.</p><p>Malfoy sighed as she stalled. “Whatever happened to that famous Gryffindor courage? Just tell me no, then.”</p><p>“What? No! I mean, that’s not what I insinuated at all!”</p><p>A nervous twitch at her tailbone made her jump slightly, and she looked behind her to see if anyone was standing close-by.</p><p>“Well, you certainly don’t radiate excitement either, Granger.” Malfoy seemed unnerved, and he jerked his left hand through his hair, tousling it in the process. It was extremely distracting. “And just now, it seems like you don’t want to get caught talking to me.”</p><p>The twitching near her tailbone returned, and the same feeling, only smaller, made itself known on her head. Hermione wanted to scream in frustration.</p><p>“Not at all, really,” she all but pleaded. How had she gotten herself in this embarrassing mess in the first place? She fiddled with the hem of the hat again. The cheap fabric stuck reassuringly tight to her head.</p><p>“I can’t seem to understand you,” he sighed. “And would you quit this thing with the hat? It’s distracting. The hat is cheap-looking, too.”</p><p>“No!”</p><p>He slowly twirled the tumbler in his right hand, eyeing her suspiciously. “I’d say it is rather ugly, yes. Not fitting for such a beautiful dress, either.”</p><p>Malfoy’s left hand found the velvet of her dress at her waist, just before it sprawled out around her hips and legs. He carefully let his thumb trail over the delicate material. Hermione sighed weakly, feeling the rolling purr in her chest but finding herself able to contain it this time.</p><p>“I know it’s not the prettiest. I just – I’ll keep wearing it.”</p><p>“Why? I don’t think we were actually ever obligated to dress in a festive spirit.”</p><p>“I just will, Malfoy.” Her voice was shriller than Hermione would have liked.</p><p>Malfoy sipped on his drink but kept eyeing her incredulously over the rim of the thick glass. His left hand still played with her dress, moving from her hip to her waist and back. Hermione sighed. She wanted to melt into the movement.</p><p>“I can’t believe you’re being so stubborn,” he sighed. She weakly laughed in reply, shaking her head. “I know. Not my best trait.”</p><p>“I find it annoyingly endearing.” His touch around her waist almost disappeared, bud suddenly she could feel him on the small of her back, dangerously close to the twitching area, with his lips just next to her ear. “I’d find the overall appeal even greater without the hat, though.”</p><p>Hermione shuddered and turned her head slightly, looking upward into Malfoy’s even features. She tried her best to ignore the twitching at her tailbone and head and hoped Malfoy didn’t notice it through the flimsy material of the Santa Hat and her heavier dress. Closing the last gap between them seemed so tempting. “The hat stays on for tonight.”</p><p>He laughed lowly, and his hand returned to her waist. “I figured as much. I wish you were less stubborn about the other thing, I guess.”</p><p>Hermione bit her lip and flushed. “I’m sorry. It’s just…”</p><p>“I know, you’re my senior colleague and we work together a lot. And yet, you don’t seem to mind it just now.”</p><p>Her mouth was suddenly dry, and her flush surely found its way further down towards her décolleté. He was right; she hadn’t objected to his long fingers sprawled across her lower body just now, with everyone else, including Robards, in the same room.</p><p>She sighed. “I guess you’re right.” Another sigh, a deep breath. “I’ll come to Pansy’s and Neville’s New Year’s party with you, Malfoy. I … I’d love to, actually.”</p><p>As she looked up to him, she saw his eyes widen a fraction, and she felt the pressure on her hip increase. “Really?”</p><p>Now it was on her to smirk. “I said so, didn’t I?”</p><p>He growled softly. The sound only led to more twitching near her tailbone, but Hermione didn’t pay any attention to the unwelcome and unfamiliar movement – she was too focused on him. His pupils had dilated, and they appeared darker than Hermione had ever seen them. His appearance, once again, triggered a now-familiar warmth in her, and before Hermione could stop it, yet another purr escaped her lips.</p><p>Malfoy definitely noticed it again. Hermione’s hand flew to her mouth, her cheeks flaring up.</p><p>“Granger?”</p><p>She couldn’t look at him.</p><p>“Granger.”</p><p>Her eyes trained on his shoes, she hummed slowly, inviting him to speak. His hand was still playing with the fabric of her dress above her hipbone.</p><p>“Why have you been purring all evening, Granger?”</p><p>She whimpered softly and looked up to Malfoy at last, cheeks still burning.</p><p>“I may have messed up my charm for the Christmas-themed fancy dress,” she whispered, not quite believing it herself as she said it. Hermione Granger never messed up a charm.</p><p>Malfoy sniggered. “That’s unlike you.”</p><p>She just nodded in agreement. The whole thing was exorbitantly embarrassing. The only silver lining was that this had been her last day of work before the holidays, and however long the charm would last– she would hopefully just be alone in her flat, surrounded by Crooks and her books, and could show up at the New Year’s do with a bit of dignity.</p><p>“I finished up in the office late” – she ignored his amused huff – “and hurried to get ready at home. Which wasn’t brilliant, in hindsight. Not only did I botch the charm, but I ended up spending even more time coming up with an alternative that would–”</p><p>Hermione bit her lip. She didn’t actually want Malfoy to know.</p><p>He just twirled his tumbler while he perpetually stroked the fabric of her dress, inching further back and forth with every move. “Would what, Granger? Hide any cat properties?”</p><p>It was a joke.</p><p>He had clearly intended it as a joke. Malfoy’s tone was playful and light. But as Hermione, ever-lacking even the slightest resemblance of a poker face, went rigid right under his hand, he did a double-take.</p><p>“You can’t be serious.”</p><p>She winced in return, still not being able to turn away from him.</p><p>“You’re part-cat? Right now?”</p><p>She clapped her hands in front of her face and groaned in frustration. “Don’t make me say it, Malfoy!”</p><p>He just laughed. Hermione couldn’t remember ever hearing him laugh like this. Quiet, but filled to the brim with mirth. Careless. “Show me, then.”</p><p>“<em>No!</em>”</p><p>He still chuckled as he floated his empty tumbler to the nearby bar. A short glance across his shoulder confirmed that no one paid them any mind in the quiet area between the bar and the cloakroom. The DMLE Christmas Party was a notorious affair, and the dancefloor was packed. In fact, as Malfoy looked away for a second, Hermione saw Harry do an enthusiastic limbo.</p><p>As the tumbler safely reached its destination, Malfoy turned around to Hermione again. This time, his left hand found her waist, the right sought a few strands of her curls. He played with them absentmindedly as Hermione hitched her breath, not knowing what to do with her arms. They urged her to touch him in return. But this was a work engagement, for Merlin’s sake.</p><p>“If I’m going to go to the Parkbottom New Year’s celebration with a cat, I must know, Granger.” His intonation was as serious as ever, but his features gave him away. He was still amused.</p><p>“Well, I’m assuming it will be history by then. Maybe we can share a laugh.” She tried to be less distracted by his hands on her lower torso and in her hair. It proved extremely difficult. With his face so close, Hermione could track every movement his eyes made – they darted between her face, the brunette curls in his one hand, and her hat. Whilst his irises moved around lazily over her, her gaze remained static. Trained on grey, as always.</p><p>He hummed in confirmation. Then: “Have we ever been so close for so long, Granger? Outside of work.”</p><p>“Probably not.” The thought sent jolts through her body. The cattail at her tailbone curled in anticipation and the purring returned with a vengeance – low, but steady. She didn’t try to hold it back this time – he knew anyway.</p><p>And he seemed to enjoy it. “I quite like having you right in my personal space.”</p><p>His hands moved. From the waist to her hip, from the hair to her jawline. He traced it carefully, eyes firmly trained on her tanned skin. Then, a stroke across the freckles on her cheek with his thumb. The purring increased with every stroke.</p><p>“You don’t seem to mind it, either.”</p><p>Hermione didn’t trust her voice anymore, so she shook her head.</p><p>Malfoy took a tentative step forward, reducing the space between them to the bare minimum. One hand slowly travelled all the way up to her head, finding her feline ears and giving them a small, testing tap.</p><p>“Is this okay?”</p><p>She looked up at him and smiled shyly. “It’s very nice.”</p><p>It was. He was among the taller men of the Department, and Hermione barely stood to his shoulder even in her high heels. Looking up was exhausting, so she rested her cheek against his collarbone instead. Her hands found his robes and trailed the festive ornaments on them as his arms closed her in. He sighed.</p><p>“I’m sorry I didn’t accept your invite to Pansy’s party sooner.”</p><p>“It’s fine,” he murmured right into her ugly hat. “I expected you to decline outright, anyway. I’m glad.”</p><p>She furrowed her brows, not daring to move with his head on hers. “Why would I do that?”</p><p>“For, I thought, rather obvious wrongdoings in my past, including but not limited to receiving a Dark Mark and being the youngest Death Eater in the Second Wizarding War.”</p><p>This was not a conversation to be had without eye contact. She pushed him away and tried to stand at full height. Malfoy’s cheeks were flushed, and he looked down on her tensely.</p><p>“The Dark Mark on your arm ceased to be a reason for anything fairly early into your Auror training, Malfoy, and we have talked about this before. You’ve proven yourself over and over and I would never decline an invitation from you based on a fading Mark. Not anymore.”</p><p>His remarkable eyes closed, and his facial features relaxed visibly. Malfoy’s arms were still loosely draped around Hermione, so when her voice grew softer as she finished, their grip got tighter again. Hermione relished in the feeling.</p><p>“Thank you,” he murmured.</p><p>She smiled into his shoulder. “Don’t thank me. You changed on your own accord.”</p><p>“Maybe. But for the change in a person to be recognised, it needs others.”</p><p>“I never thought of that.”</p><p>“Of course you didn’t. It just comes naturally to every fibre of your Inner Gryffindor.”</p><p>Hermione couldn’t see him, but his warm tone implicated a faint smile.</p><p>“Now. Let’s see those kitten ears.”</p><p>“Malfoy!”</p>
<hr/><p>Hermione’s feline properties were still annoyingly prominent on Christmas Eve. Sleeping had only been possible on the side and her stomach last night, and she had spent more time than she was comfortable to admit thinking about Malfoy, her additional set of ears twitching at the thought of yesterday’s encounter. Nothing had happened –she had been so uncomfortable in a party setting with the ears and tail, she had left shortly after they had returned to the main room together, where Harry had winked at her from a distance.</p><p>And yet, Malfoy’s lips lingering on her cheek when she excused herself wouldn’t leave her mind. Neither did the murmured ‘I’m very much looking forward to New Year’s now, Granger’. The thoughts were so present that Hermione had spent the morning going over the Department policies only to find that the only person she was strictly forbidden from dating was Gawain Robards.</p><p>All efforts on Hermione’s side to vanish tail, ears, her purring abilities, and, as it turned out, the urge to sleep for most of the day, had proven futile, so she resorted to her last option and went to Flourish and Blott’s early on Christmas Eve.</p><p>The sticking charms on the Santa Hat had taken a toll on her hair, which was frizzier than ever, but Hermione didn’t dare leave the house without the charm on her regular hat. Wearing a wide, long skirt to hide the tail, she felt prepared to leave the house and hopefully go unnoticed for the duration of her trip.</p><p>This, of course, was not in the books.</p><p>“Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve? I expected you to be more organised than this.”</p><p>The sound of Malfoy’s voice startled her out of her reading, and Hermione clutched the book to her chest instantly, trying to hide the title.</p><p>“<em>Curing Your Beloved Companion – Magical Animal Maladies And How To Counter Them,</em>” Malfoy read, not bothering to keep his drawl low. “You’re in the wrong section. Charms are over there.”</p><p>“I’m well aware,” she sniffed. “I spent the past hour browsing the aisle.”</p><p>He smirked. “No luck?”</p><p>“None whatsoever.”</p><p>Her tone was as sour as her mood, but Malfoy seemed unperturbed. “Come get lunch with me instead.”</p><p>Her lips parted slightly at his suggestion. “Lunch? Now?”</p><p>“Now, Granger. It appears to be”, he looked up at the large clock over the shop exit, “exactly noon, so perfect lunchtime.”</p><p>Her feline ears twitched under her hat. Malfoy seemed to notice the motion – his smirk widened slightly. Slowly, his hand rose to her head, beyond her flushed cheeks, and he carefully flicked the crease that had just moved. “I’m also still fairly interested in these, I must say.”</p><p>She blushed a deep scarlet.</p><p>“Or … you know,” he regarded her with a semblance of hesitance, but the carefully schooled smirk fell back into place quickly. “I may have done a bit of researching in the Malfoy library myself and had relevant texts returned to my flat–”</p><p>“Are you inviting me over?”</p><p>The tables had turned quickly, apparently. Now Hermione was smirking whilst Draco’s light skin took on a hue of pink.</p><p>“It’s an offer. I’d rather spend a nice evening with you next week and not have you squirm every other minute.” She smiled a genuine smile up at him. “I also want to avoid you wearing that Muggle hat atrocity you wore yesterday on New Year’s at all costs.”</p><p>She laughed, not bothering to mention that Santa would not make an appearance until the next Christmas after Boxing Day. “I see. Since we’re doing this for you – let’s go?”</p><p>His surprise was only visible for a fracture of a second before his features returned to their usual careful aloofness. “This way, then.”</p><p>His flat was nice, Hermione noticed as she stepped through the Floo. Bright, inviting. Elegant furniture which decidedly lacked the gross decadence and looming quality of his parental home.</p><p>She noticed the pile of books and scrolls on his coffee table as he took her coat and wondered, not for the first time, if he had planned for this.</p><p>“Right,” he returned from the coat rack and pointed at the books. “Here they are. We can get lunch delivery while we’re going over them if you’d like.”</p><p>Hermione’s furry ears twitched. “Sounds lovely.”</p><p>“Although it will probably be easier for me to fully grasp the situation if I know what exactly we’re dealing with,” he smirked.</p><p>Hermione rolled her eyes. Then again, she supposed, he already knew anyway.</p><p>She carefully countered the sticking charm on her hat and took it off, revealing two twitching, grey feline ears on top of her head. Hermione had noticed two light spots at the tip of each ear yesterday before bed, matching the longer hair that grew out of the auricles. The ears were sensitive to temperature, and her heart was beating a little faster, which showed in her new appendices – they curled downward. Hermione could feel the tail at her back furl and unfurl as if it wanted to go free at last as well.</p><p>Breathing shallowly, she looked towards Malfoy. He had gone quiet.</p><p>“Happy?” she whispered, intimidated by his lack of reaction. Surely it wasn’t so appalling?</p><p>Slowly, Malfoy stepped a little closer. His pupils dilated in much the same way as they had yesterday when she had accepted his invitation for New Year’s. “Granger…”</p><p>He seemed so hesitant. Hermione was no longer sure if she had interpreted yesterday’s conversation and gentle touches correctly.</p><p>“I can put my hat back on if you want to?” she blurted, suddenly embarrassed by her messed-up charm work all over. “I’m sorry if they make you uncomfortable, you don’t have to–”</p><p>She was interrupted by his lips on hers.</p><p>The touch was careful, maybe, measuring the situation. Measuring her. But resolute all the same. He left no doubts – he wanted her.</p><p>After briefly freezing in his arms, Hermione returned the kiss happily. The purr settled in her chest.</p><p>“Granger,” he murmured against her lips, placing small kisses on the corner of her mouth. “They are astounding.”</p><p>She hummed into him and tried to move closer – whilst this was not what she had expected, she wasn’t going to complain.</p><p>“Can I touch them?”</p><p>She nodded, and Malfoy’s hand went from the firm grip on her hips to touching her cat ear carefully. It twitched under the sensation, but Hermione couldn’t help it – she purred again and pressed her head into Malfoy’s palm.</p><p>He chuckled. “Do you like this?”</p><p>“Apparently so,” she replied breathlessly, too content to be embarrassed any longer. “And you?”</p><p>“Very.”</p><p>He kissed her again, still playing with her ear, the other hand roaming her back. She melted into the sensation and followed his hands with her body at every move, trying to increase the friction between them. Hermione felt brazen. “You know, I also have a tail.”</p><p>His low growl made her giggle, so Malfoy gave her bum a light squeeze before lifting her long skirt up slightly to release the matching tail to her ears. It left its fabric cage gladly and swirled around behind Hermione. Malfoy seemed rather transfixed, judging by the ceased kissing.</p><p>Watching her with a small smirk, he reached around her to lightly stroke the tail.</p><p>The sensation was almost overwhelming. Every tentative touch sent a shiver through Hermione, and she could barely contain a moan, so she purred louder instead.</p><p>“Merlin,” Malfoy whispered.</p><p>Hermione’s cheeks heated under his gaze. He seemed unable to fully let go of her tail and brushed it lightly over and over, watching intently as the motion made her breath stutter.</p><p>“Malfoy…”</p><p>Hermione’s hands moved over his back slowly, exploring the dips and hills of his shoulder blades. She missed his lips on her, so she started kissing his throat to regain his attention, purring steadily now. He followed obediently and growled into her as their lips met again.</p><p>“Granger, this … I’ve been hoping, but–”</p><p>She cupped his cheek in understanding and briefly looked at him – really <em>looked </em>– before letting her eager hands travel over his back to his chest and down his stomach, taking in his lean form attentively. She wanted to remember how he felt under her. Meanwhile, Malfoy’s hands had found her arse and cupped her cheeks, massaging them. The sensation travelled into her tail, which curled around his wrist in anticipation.</p><p>“Granger, fuck,” he breathed. “Can I …”</p><p>Instead of continuing, he played with the hem of her skirt, and she mewled her affirmation. However, instead of undressing her, Malfoy scooped her up and hooked her legs around his hips, kissing her while walking as briskly as possible through the living room.</p><p>“Flat tour has to wait, I’m afraid,” he mumbled into her mouth, and she tittered, nibbling his earlobe in return. His hands on her arse felt nice, so Hermione rubbed against them. He groaned as he pushed open the door to what she assumed was his bedroom, and Hermione could feel her tail tighten its curl around his forearm.</p><p>Unceremoniously, Draco dropped her on his mattress, taking her skirt with him as his hands left her. It landed somewhere in the vicinity of the door, and his shirt followed instantly. Hermione barely had time to take in his chest and abdomen before he dropped on his knees at the sides of her thighs and made to work with her jumper and bra, her hands frantically searching his trouser button and zip. He laughed as she made quick work of it and pulled the trousers down far enough to be able to claw into his buttocks.</p><p>“So eager,” he whispered, playing with her breasts and waist, his thumbs gracing over her nipples. She shuddered. “And so beautiful.”</p><p>“I could say the same about you.” She pulled him closer. However, she winced as his hips met hers.</p><p>His movements stopped immediately, and he looked at her face, anxious. “Everything okay? Did I –”</p><p>“Fine, don’t worry.” She wiggled slightly under him, and he cautiously lifted his hips again. Her relief was instantaneous. “The tail hurts, though. I don’t think I can …”</p><p>Instead of talking, he rolled them around, and suddenly she was on top of him. “Better?”</p><p>She blushed, suddenly feeling very exposed before he pulled her down. She nodded into him as their lips met again. The tail wiggled happily behind her. As Draco pulled on Hermione’s panties, she lifted her hips happily, and he hummed as it slid down. His hips rocked up to meet her. Hermione’s purr returned instantly as she felt his length between her legs.</p><p>“Do you like this?” He didn’t wait for her response before he repeated the movement. Hermione’s hips eagerly met his and he laughed lowly. “And this?”</p><p>“Yes”, she whispered, as his fingers found her folds. Her breath hitched.</p><p>“And this?”</p><p>“Ah, yes, Draco!” His index finger entered her, stroking her core. Hermione’s torso pressed flush against his, seeking the contact. His other hand tangled in her hair, stroking her cat ears. They twitched under his touch and swivelled to the side in anticipation. Draco chuckled as his fingers flicked the ears, the movement adding even more force to Hermione’s purr. Her hips keened against Draco’s hand as he added a second finger and stroked her languidly.</p><p>Hermione was writhing on top of him, the occasional sound leaving her sounding suspiciously like little meows. She mewled as his mouth found her nipples. He sucked lightly at first, adding a little force quickly. Hermione’s hands roamed all over him without any purpose – touching him was all she could think about, and she wanted <em>more</em>.</p><p>As if he could read her thoughts, Draco removed his fingers from her. Just as she groaned in protest, he flipped her over and sat up.</p><p>“The tail doesn’t like pressure, right?” he smirked, but didn’t wait for a breathless answer. He hoisted her hips up against his lap, the tail resting in the air in between his thigs.</p><p>Hermione blushed furiously, feeling incredibly exposed. Nonetheless, she throbbed for his touch. She whimpered her confirmation as she pressed her buttocks against his thighs, relishing in the small friction the movement created. “Draco, please…”</p><p>The tail found its way further up between his legs, and with every touch of Draco’s skin and the fur, she could feel him shudder lightly. Not wasting any time, he bent down, pulled her away from his body slightly, lifted her hips towards his face, and gave her folds another stroke with his fingers before he added his tongue.</p><p>Hermione moaned without restraint.</p><p>His movements were so precise and measured, every stroke aimed to please. How he managed to lift her lower body up with one hand was a mystery to her, but she would think about it later, maybe. She shuddered under him, feline ears flat against her curls. As she opened her eyes to look at him, another moan escaped her lips. Draco looked up at the sound and he stopped for a second to shoot her a pleased grin. He licked his lips.</p><p>“How is this?”, he asked nonchalantly, reapplying pressure with his index finger as he blew kisses over her mons pubis, his gaze never leaving her reaction.</p><p>“It’s … ah!” His next lick cut her short. She was unable to utter half a coherent sentence, so she resorted to another small subsection of her suddenly-limited vocabulary. “More, Draco. Please!”</p><p>To reiterate her request, her tail finally circled his cock, swishing over it again and again.</p><p>He growled deeply. “Granger, you and those ears are truly going to be the death of me.”</p><p>He flipped her on her knees in one swift motion ad she shrieked in surprise. The purr stopped.</p><p>Again, the exposure was uncomfortable at first but the feeling of him carefully, purposefully stroking her folds accustomed her to the position quickly. Her buttocks perked into the air, and the tail danced upwards. She peeked over her shoulder and hesitated only a second before she licked her lips and curled the tail around Draco’s torso, allowing for her purr to return.</p><p>He tensed at the movement and gripped her hips as he groaned, pressing himself against her centre. “Fuck, Granger!”</p><p>Hermione’s mind blanked as she ground her hips back into Draco’s, moaning lowly as she felt his length between her folds. The tip of her tail stroked Draco’s chest.</p><p>“Granger”, he breathed, barely over a whisper. “If I by any chance have misunderstood your signals, you need to tell me now.”</p><p>She looked over her shoulder again and found his face twisted in almost-agony. He stroked her cheeks as he spoke, his thumb occasionally grazing her core. Hermione lightly shuddered at every touch. With her grey tail wrapped around his abdomen, he looked almost tied up, and the functioning but muted part of her brain relished in the thought. He looked positively edible.</p><p>“I– ah”, his thumb played with her folds again, and her hips wiggled in anticipation, reiterating her statement. “I want it, Draco. Please.”</p><p>Draco wasted no more time.</p><p>Hermione watched him, mesmerised as he took himself into his hand and stroked his cock a few times. He aligned himself with her core, bent over, and nibbled small kisses on her neck as he guided himself into her slowly. “I’ve wanted this for so long, Granger. You wouldn’t believe it. But this,” he flicked her furry ears as he entered, and Hermione lowly moaned once more, “this – ah – is so much better than I ever imagined it.”</p><p>His last words were hurried. Once he was situated inside her, Draco started moving slowly. He played with her nipples and hips, stroking her abdomen. Ever so often, his hands would drift to her lower back and stroke the base of her tail, the additional and unusual sensation making her moan even louder when he did so.</p><p>Hermione intensely felt every movement, getting used to his girth quickly as he slid in and out of her. While the position was new to her, she was thankful for the room it allowed her tail. It curled around Draco’s forearms and wrists, sometimes moving up to his biceps, never leaving him.</p><p>When Draco picked up speed, she unceremoniously dropped to her forearms and perked her arse even higher in the air, allowing for more resistance. She ground into him, and he growled at the needy movement.</p><p>“My days, Granger – this fucking tail – I’m so close!”</p><p>“Faster, then! Draco!”</p><p>He obliged and picked up speed, fucking her in the mattress. Small noises left her every time he bottomed her out, but she wanted more from him – she needed to come.</p><p>“Please, Draco!”</p><p>Just as his moans started to get louder and hers became more frantic, his fingers finally found her clit again and she moaned in relief, almost overwhelmed with the sensation from both her centre and the tail in her back.</p><p>Just seconds later, she finally started pulsing around his throbbing cock.</p><p>“Gra– Hermione! Fuck, Hermione!”</p><p>Almost instantly, his frantic movements became even faster and harder until he poured into her, his hand ceasing the rub on her clit but staying where it was.</p><p>When he stilled behind her, he slowly stroked her folds again.</p><p>A happy purr left Hermione’s throat, and he laughed lowly.</p><p>“Hermione. This charm mishap may have been your greatest stroke of genius.”</p><p>He pulled out of her and watched her turn to her side, smiling happily. She still purred as she reached her hands out to him, and he obliged, lowering himself next to her.</p><p>The last thing she heard before she fell asleep was soft whispers of cleaning charms on both of them. Then, the mattress next to her dipped down and his arms started playing with her furry ears.</p><p>* </p><p>Hermione woke up just as the sun began to set.</p><p>A happy hum left her lips at the sight of the napping man across from her, his arms still around her, and he stirred at her movement.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to wake you.”</p><p>He shook his head at her apology and stroked her hair. Then, his eyes lighted up. “Well, what do you know. We actually did find a solution to your problem.”</p><p>Hermione took a second to digest his words, then she jumped up hurriedly and hopped in front of his full-body mirror on the wardrobe.</p><p>Her ears and tail were gone.</p><p>Astonished, she slowly turned around in front of the mirror to be sure.</p><p>No tail.</p><p>A chuckle from the general direction of the bed made her look up.</p><p>“Are you coming back to join me, or have I fulfilled my sole purpose as a cure to your mysterious malady?”</p><p>She rolled her eyes at him and tip-toed back to bed.</p><p>Once she was situated comfortably in his arms, she looked up.</p><p>“Did you have any of this planned when you invited me over?”</p><p>He shook his head. “I hoped for it, of course. For a while, I might add.” She smirked up at him. So had she. “But no, not like this, and not today, honestly. You might say the kitty made me lose my mind.”</p><p>She giggled. “And I’m glad it did.”</p><p>“Me too.” He pressed a kiss into her hair. “Does this mean New Year’s will be a proper date, then, Senior Auror Granger?”</p><p>Her lips quirked up at the thought. “I shall hope so, Junior Auror Malfoy.”</p><p>“Happy to hear it. I think I might miss those little ears, though. They were the best Christmas present I could have asked for.”</p><p>She groaned into his chest, and he pulled her closer, laughing still.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and/or kudos are much appreciated. Much love and a happy 2021!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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